Royal Bonds
by Broken Angel01
Summary: Noctis was starting to get very annoyed. It was a perfectly innocent question, so what the hell was the problem?


Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV.

 **A/N: I'm finally back with another story! It's the one I said I was going to write a while ago and didn't have the chance until now. I had to update my other two stories I'm working on over in the Digimon fandom since I've been falling behind, but I'm finally back to bring this oneshot to all of you! It basically takes place fairly soon after Noctis and his royal entourage defeat Titan. I hope you all missed me and enjoy this new story! And also a huge thank you to those of you who reviewed _Night Stalker._ You guys are what keep me going. I'm also open to ideas, so if there is some small tidbit of an idea you'd like to see me write, I won't hesitate to consider it if I can turn it into a possible piece of writing. You're all always welcome to let me know!  
**

Royal Bonds

Noctis had never been particularly fond of early mornings, and today was no exception. It was barely past seven in the morning, the sunlight streaming through the large windows of the diner assaulting his tired eyes, but despite the fact that he could have used a few more hours of sleep, here he was, sitting across from his royal advisor in a booth at the Crow's Nest and wishing the other man would stop talking his ear off.

It had only been a couple of days since their unfortunate encounter with Ardyn Izunia, whom they had just discovered was the chancellor of Niflheim, and though Noctis had successfully forged a pact with the Archaean, Titan, the confrontation had left him feeling battered, bruised, and completely exhausted. After Ardyn had dropped them off in a Magitek Armour transport ship, Ignis had suggested they rest up for a couple days before continuing on with their journey. The promise of soft beds and a hot meal were unanimously agreed upon, and having come to a decision, they had headed for the Cauthess Rest Area on foot, which was where they had commandeered the caravan for a much needed break.

Unfortunately, having allowed the chancellor to give them a lift meant they had lost sight of the Regalia, which was the reason Noctis had been dragged out of bed at such an unholy hour in the morning to begin with. Though the headaches had finally stopped after joining forces with a severely pissed off Titan, his brain still felt like it had been chewed up and spat back out by an Adamantoise, leaving him feeling weary and wishing he could sleep through the next ten years or so.

The sunlight streaming through the glass and the sound of his advisor's voice droning on and on was starting to grate on his nerves a bit, and letting out a deep sigh, he said testily, "You woke me up for this?"

Ignis delicately raised an eyebrow, and pushing a plate that contained a large helping of Kenny's Fries across the table towards him, the bespectacled man said, "My apologies, Noct, but I think we've dallied here long enough. Naturally, your well-being is my utmost concern and of course our top priority, but I don't think it wise to remain here for too long, especially since we're still far too close to the Disc of Cauthess for my liking. I suspect Ardyn's generosity only goes so far. Best to maintain our distance from the Imperial Forces, some of whom are still stationed at the Disc to deal with the aftermath of Titan's disappearance."

Noctis shoved a couple of fries into his mouth, and giving his advisor a sullen look, he drawled, "And just where do you expect us to go without a set of wheels?"

"I have thought of that, despite your obvious suggestion to the contrary," Ignis smoothly replied, not the least bit fazed by his unhelpful attitude.

 _Of course you have._

Noctis ignored the other man's admonishing look, and chewing slowly, he glanced out the window, his sapphire eyes taking in the beauty of the rising sun glinting off the buildings across the road. While the fries he was currently inhaling weren't exactly what one would call an ideal breakfast, they still tasted a hell of a lot better than vegetables, thus he wasn't complaining. Though he hadn't yet voiced his thoughts into words, he secretly suspected the Regalia had fallen into the hands of the Niffs, and no doubt Ignis was of the same mindset. His royal advisor wasn't a stupid man by any stretch of the imagination, and the Regalia's fate was only too obvious.

Somehow they were going to have to steal the car back, but how to go about such a daring feat was another matter entirely.

 _It's not like we can just walk up to the enemy and ask them to give it back, and no offense to Ignis, but I'm out of ideas. Why doesn't he go bother Gladio or Prom-Hey, wait...that's right. They were gone before I woke up this morning. Dammit, those traitors! Where the hell are they anyways? How am I the only one who got stuck having to sit here and listen to this crap?_

Normally Prompto shared the queen bed with him when they stayed the night at a caravan, but after receiving a rather rude awakening from Ignis that morning just a few minutes after six, he had been surprised to discover that the energetic blond had already left the trailer. Gladio, too, appeared to have gone missing, but despite his efforts to grill Ignis on the location of his other two royal retainers, he had received only a vague reply in response.

 _So much for a relaxing morning._

"Noct, if you would do me the honour of paying attention when I'm speaking to you, it would be much appreciated," Ignis suddenly scolded, interrupting his thoughts. "While I may not be the most entertaining when it comes to your royal entourage, surely you can spare me five minutes?"

Noctis refused to rise to the bait, and consuming the last of his fries, he pushed the plate aside and said bluntly, "You got some sort of plan, or what?"

"I suggest with head for Wiz's Chocobo Ranch," Ignis replied, carefully folding his hands around the can of Ebony he was sipping from. "It's much further from the Disc than our current location, out of range from Imperial eyes and ears, and though it's not particularly ideal, it will give us access to the chocobos as a temporary mode of transportation. From there we can get word to Cindy via your phone about the Regalia. If anyone can pinpoint the car's current location, it'll be our allies at Hammerhead. Cindy's more than capable of searching for it, and once the car is found, I'm sure she'll be happy to service it for us and make sure it's running in tiptop condition."

Noctis couldn't help agreeing, and shaking his head, he said in amusement, "She'll probably wanna find the Regalia even more than we do."

"Understandable. She's a fine specimen. A true beauty if ever I've seen one."

"Who? Cindy or the car?" Noctis asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The car, of course, as I'm sure Cindy would agree," Ignis replied, his lips twitching in amusement.

Noctis let out a soft chuckle, and folding his arms across his chest, he said dryly, "Better not let Prompto hear you say that."

"I would think he'd be ecstatic. Less competition, so to speak."

"Gladio's enough competition all on his own."

 _Speaking of Prompto..._

As far as Noctis was concerned, that chocobo-loving dork had a lot of explaining to do.

 _Some friend he is, leaving me with Specs going on about that bastard Ardyn and his Imperial clowns. The chancellor's the last thing I wanna hear about right now._

"Are we agreed then?" Ignis asked, taking a sip of his Ebony.

Noctis shrugged, and waving his hand in a dismissive gesture, he said, "Chocobo ranch it is then."

 _At least I won't have to put up with those damn headaches anymore._

Thinking back on the incident with Titan, a sudden thought occurred to Noctis, one that had never really crossed his mind before. After Luna awakened the Archaean, Titan had attempted to communicate with him via the visions that had caused his headaches, which was possible only because of his lineage. Whether it was the Astrals, the crystal, or those who were connected to the magic he wielded, anyone or anything tied to the throne had an unavoidable effect on him. But did the same work in reverse?

 _Do they have a similar sort of reaction to me?  
_

The royal blood running through his veins was definitely evident on a daily basis when it came to his Crownsguard, though the nature of the pact they were required to maintain was a subtle union built on trust and not the sort of thing that appeared visible at first glance. Due to the fact that he had given the three members of his entourage the use of his magic some time ago, the inevitable result of that connection was what allowed his faithful retainers to harness the energy he possessed, which meant they could summon their weapons at will seemingly from thin air. The three distinct bonds his friends had ultimately created with him were always present at the back of his mind, and often their familiar presence provided him with a source of comfort. It was a sort of warmth that resonated somewhere deep within his subconscious, and anytime the other three called forth their weapons, it was like he could sense their presence on the battlefield.

But even when the members of his Crownsguard weren't in the middle of a fight, the individual bonds he shared with them always let him know their approximate whereabouts in relation to himself, and that sense of closeness was always there, even when he slept. It was an exquisite sensation that pulsed somewhere deep within his heart, and though he hadn't ever said so in words, knowing there was a part of each of his three friends that always remained somewhere close at hand somehow made it seem that much harder to voice his feelings on the matter. At first, their closeness had acted as a sort of distraction, but after bonding Prompto, the last of the three, he had grown so used to their presence in his mind that he didn't really think about it much anymore. They were a part of him now, like a second skin. Just another few pieces of the elaborate puzzle that made up who he was.

In fact, chances were he'd be more likely to notice their connection to him if it was suddenly no longer there, which wasn't something he ever wanted to think about.

 _When something feels right, it makes losing the things that are precious to you that much harder..._

"Noct, is there something on your mind perchance?" Ignis asked, his thin eyebrows narrowing into a concerned frown. "You seem a bit out of sorts."

Noctis blinked at the other man, and once again folding his arms over his chest, he said nonchalantly, "Hey, Ignis. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can," his advisor replied, leaning forward in his seat and neatly folding his hands together on the table. "As always, you have my full attention. Is there something private you wish to discuss?"

Noctis shook his head, and scratching at the back of his dark hair, he said easily, "Not really. Just...what's it like?"

"Pardon me?" Ignis asked, pausing just as he was about to take a sip of Ebony.

"You know, being able to use my magic and stuff. What's it feel like?"

Ignis suddenly looked a tad flustered, and nervously pushing his glasses a little further up the bridge of his nose, the bespectacled man said, "What's this all of a sudden? You've never shown any interest in the subject beforehand."

 _Huh?_

Noctis was intrigued by his advisor's unusual reaction, and huffing in annoyance, he said, "Yeah, well having Titan messing around in my head kinda got me thinking. So, spill it. What's it like? Being connected to me through my magic?"

This time there was no mistaking the other man's reaction. At his words, Ignis promptly turned a delicate shade of pink, and hastily slipping out of his seat, his can of Ebony completely forgotten, the bespectacled man said in a rush, "If you'll excuse me, I have a few errands to attend to before we head for the chocobo ranch. A list of ingredients, and of course supplies. Perhaps you should search for the others and make sure they're ready to leave by noon?"

 _The hell?_

Before Noctis could reply, Ignis practically ran for the door, and staring down at his empty plate, he swore loudly when he suddenly realized the bespectacled man had left him with the bill. Thankfully, there were no other patrons in the diner, since like normal people they were all probably still in bed, but despite the empty booths, the lack of customers didn't stop the tipster at the counter from giving him a dirty look. Ignoring the other man's glare, Noctis grudgingly paid the bill before heading out into the early morning sunshine, his sapphire eyes scanning the road for any sign of activity. Ignis was nowhere in sight, having no doubt barricaded himself in the caravan for some bizarre reason, and cursing the bespectacled man's name, Noctis proceeded to head past the gas pump, since his frumpy jerk of an advisor had left him with no other choice but to search for his remaining two royal retainers.

 _Oh sure,_ now _he tells me to find the others. Couldn't wait to get rid of me. Seriously, what_ _the hell was that all about?_

It wasn't like he had asked a complicated question or anything, so what was with his advisor's obvious reluctance to answer? As a general rule, Ignis was the definition of calm and composed. The man wasn't exactly the type to grow embarrassed very easily, which made his uncharacteristic display of noticeable discomfort that much more intriguing, and it also made Noctis even more determined to receive an answer. Maybe if he tried asking one of the other two?

 _If I can find them._

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he caught sight of Gladio chatting with a group of hunters next to one of the storage buildings across the street, and taking advantage of the situation, he quickly jogged across the road, the crimson soles of his boots echoing off the pavement. Upon reaching the hulking form of the man who was his sworn protector, he tapped his Shield on the shoulder, and said, "Hey, got a minute?"

Gladio quickly glanced over his shoulder, and staring him down, the older man said, "Surprised to see you up this early. Thought you'd still be trying to sneak in a few more hours of sleep."

Noctis made a show of stretching, and letting out a loud yawn, he said, "That was the plan."

"Until Iggy dragged you outta bed?" Gladio asked, cuffing him lightly on the shoulder.

"Yeah, Specs can sure be a real pain in my-wait, how'd you know?"

"Easy enough, even if I hadn't seen him prodding you in the direction of the diner," Gladio taunted, smirking at him. "What's up?"

Noctis could feel the group of hunters watching him curiously, and jerking his head towards the road, he said, "We're moving out. Ignis says be ready by noon."

Gladio nodded, and sensing there was more, the big man quickly turned to the hunters and said, "Catch you guys later."

"Yeah, see you around," the gruff looking hunter with a set of piercing blue eyes replied, giving a small wave before heading across the grass towards the large storage building at the edge of the outpost, the rest of the group following along behind.

Once the hunters were out of earshot, Gladio nudged him into the shadow of the balcony looming above their heads, and crossing his arms over his broad chest, the big man said, "Where we headed?"

"Chocobo ranch. Gonna try to get in touch with Cindy and see if she can find out what happened to the Regalia."

"Makes sense. I've already upgraded our weapons, so we should be good to go on that front. Speaking of Iggy, where the hell is he?"

Noctis shrugged, and glaring suspiciously back at the caravan, which stood just to the left of the diner on the opposite side of the road, he said, "Something about ingredients and supplies."

Gladio let out a soft snort, and smiling slightly, the big man said, "I hope he's got something good on the menu for tonight. So, what are you up to in the meantime?"

Noctis leaned casually against the wall, and gazing calmly at his Shield, he said, "Something I wanna ask you."

"Didn't think you were the asking type," Gladio grunted, shaking his head in amusement. "If you got something to say, say it."

"What's it feel like?"

"Huh?" Gladio asked, his dark eyes narrowing into a frown. "Wanna run that by me again?"

Noctis was starting to grow a tad irritated at having to repeat himself, and unable to hide the hint of impatience in his tone, he said, "You know, summoning your weapons and all that crap. What's it like, being connected to me through the magic of my bloodline?"

Gladio stared at him, and looking suddenly embarrassed, the big man scratched sheepishly at the back of his dark head and said in a gruff voice, "The hell you wanna know that for?"

 _Gladio, too? I don't get it. What's the big deal?  
_

Noctis quickly decided the best course of action was to play it cool, and without looking at the big man, he said dismissively, "Just curious."

Gladio muttered something under his breath, a large hand reaching up to scratch nervously at his rock-hard pectoral muscles, but whatever the big man had said got lost in the early morning breeze.

Like Ignis, Gladiolus seemed oddly uncomfortable, though the question was perfectly innocent, and glaring at the big man, he said, "You gonna answer me, or not?"

To his complete astonishment, Gladio turned a rather unbecoming shade of red, something that _never_ happened to his Shield, and brushing past him, the big man muttered, "I gotta go talk to the tipster before we leave. See ya."

"Dammit, Gladio," Noctis growled, annoyed that his request had been turned down a second time. "Get back here!"

Gladio's response was a haphazard wave as he booked it across the road, and having been completely and thoroughly dissed, Noctis proceeded to sulk in angry silence. It wasn't like he was asking for money or snooping about their love lives, so what the hell was the problem?

 _Fine. If they're not gonna tell me then I'll just ask Prompto._

Out of the three members of his Crownsguard, Prompto was usually the most likely to blab, especially under pressure, and after receiving not one, but two bizarre responses to his innocent question, since one of the two men was the definition of unflappable and the other was annoyingly self-assured, he could feel an almost overwhelming desire to know what had caused the obviously flustered duo to make such a hasty retreat.

Maybe it was different for them than it was for him?

 _It can't be a bad thing...can it? No way they wouldn't have said something by now if it was hurting them somehow. Everybody who was connected to my dad seemed alright..._

Angry at himself for his own insecurities, he quickly shoved the unpleasant thought to the back of his mind, and scanning the layout of the outpost, he murmured to himself, "Now, if I was Prompto, where would I be this early in the morning?"

Immediately his sapphire eyes fell upon an old two story building standing forlornly across the street, and studying the stairs that led to the rooftop, which sported an excellent view of the Disc of Cauthess at sunrise, he smiled to himself and said, "Bingo."

 _You can't sneak away from me that easily._

Prompto wasn't always the most successful at hiding his thoughts, nor was he very good at keeping his feelings in check, and with enough persuasion, Noctis felt he stood a decent chance of finally getting an answer to his question. There was simply no way Prompto could deny a request from him. They weren't best friends for nothing, after all, and it wasn't like they had ever made a habit of keeping secrets from each other.

At least not that he was aware of.

 _I'll get it out of him, one way or another. Besides, he still owes me for his little disappearing act this morning._

With a renewed air of determination, Noctis leisurely made his way back across the street, and climbing the stairs to the rooftop of the old building at the opposite end of the outpost from where the hunters had wandered off to, he paused at the top of the steps, his deep blue eyes immediately catching sight of the elusive blond figure who just so happened to be his closest friend.

Prompto was lying flat on his stomach, camera in hand, and snapping shots of the Disc at a rapid pace as the sun continued to rise, the blond made for quite the impressive sight. Prompto's golden hair gleamed in the early morning rays, the sun giving his pale skin and sparkling blue eyes a warm glow, and unaware of the fact that he had a visitor, the blond continued to focus on the scenery, his chin propped in his hand as he paused for a moment to appreciate the view before quickly snapping a few more photos. There was a tripod set up next to Prompto's slim form, and studying his energetic friend, Noctis couldn't help the sudden spark of affection that was steadily growing inside his chest.

Prompto looked so happy and relaxed, and taking note of the small smile lighting up the blond's handsome face, Noctis hesitated to speak. He didn't want to interrupt the moment, but it was too late to turn back now. If he left, Prompto was sure to notice, and since he didn't think he could come up with a decent enough explanation for making an awkward escape, he figured he might as well go through with his original plan.

 _Not like this is gonna be hard. Nothing ever is with Prompto._

Keeping that thought in mind, since their friendship had always been solid, Noctis placed a hand on his hip and drawled, "So this is where you've been hiding."

Prompto never even looked up from his camera. Instead, the blond's smile grew wider, and giving him a small wave, the golden-haired sharpshooter said, "Hey, Noct. Finally got out of bed, huh?"

Noctis settled himself onto the rooftop next to his best friend, and stretching out his legs, he grumbled, "That's the last time I let Ignis take me out for breakfast."

Prompto laughed, and fiddling with the settings on his camera, the blond joked, "That bad, huh?"

"He even made me pay the damn bill. Where the hell were you? You owe me big time for sneaking off like that."

"Did you miss me?" Prompto teased, waggling his eyebrows.

Noctis elbowed the blond sharply in the side, and leaning back on his hands, he said dryly, "Better your elbow in my ribs than Ignis yacking my ear off. Why didn't you wake me?"

"I thought about it, but you looked so peaceful all curled up like that. I didn't wanna disturb you, sleepyhead," Prompto crooned, jerking back to avoid a sudden blow to his midsection. "Careful, dude. Watch the camera."

Noctis quickly grabbed the aforementioned camera out of his friend's hands, and flicking through the newest photos, he said casually, "Ignis says we gotta be ready to head out by noon."

"Cool. Uh...where we going exactly?" Prompto asked, looking curious.

"Chocobo ranch. Gonna see if Cindy can locate the Regalia."

Prompto immediately perked up, the thought of both Cindy and the chocobos catching the blond's attention, and forgetting about his camera for a moment, the golden-haired sharpshooter said eagerly, "We can always count on Cindy when we're in a bind. She's great like that. Definitely the kind of girl a guy can depend on."

"Can't argue with that. She's helped us out quite a bit. Maybe you'll even get a chance to see her again."

Prompto blushed, and cuffing him lightly on the arm, the blond said, "Does this mean we get to ride the chocobos again?"

"Sure, if you want."

Prompto smiled at him, and then looking suddenly concerned, the blond quickly sat up and said, "You gonna be okay to head out? All those headaches and that wild battle with Titan really took a lot out of you. If you need to rest up some more..."

Noctis quickly shook his head, and leaning comfortably against his friend's side, he said, "Nah, I'm good. Haven't had a headache since I forged that pact with Titan, and thanks to Ignis, I feel better than ever. Besides, I could do with a change of scenery."

"I dunno about that," Prompto replied, draping a lazy arm around his shoulders and turning to gaze appreciatively at the view. "Not everyday you get an opportunity like this."

Noctis had to agree, especially after viewing some of the blond's latest photos, and nudging his friend gently in the ribs, he said mildly, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

 _No place to run and no place to hide. I probably won't get another chance like this, so I might as well make the most of it._

And unlike the other two, it wasn't going to be so easy for Prompto to slip away from him.

 _This time, I'm not taking no for an answer._

He felt rather than saw Prompto glance in his direction, and sounding intrigued, the blond said, "What's up, Noct?"

Noctis paused for a moment to admire a particularly gorgeous shot of the Disc, and chancing a quick look at his friend, he said easily, "What's it like?"

"What's what like?" Prompto asked, pulling his arm away so he could rest his elbows on his knees. "You're gonna have to give me a bit more than that, bro."

Noctis slowly raised his head, and gazing calmly at the blond, he said, "This whole thing with using my energy to summon your weapons. What's it feel like for you?"

Prompto gaped at him for a moment, and immediately turning pink in the face, the blond stammered, "W-what do you mean?"

"When you summon your weapons. What's it feel like?"

"Uh, w-well," Prompto stammered, avoiding his eyes. "Y-you know. I...uh... W-why do you ask?"

Noctis shrugged, and refusing to look away from the flustered blond, he said simply, "Just wondering. I tried asking Ignis and Gladio, but they wouldn't tell me anything."

"R-really?" Prompto asked, laughing nervously. "I-imagine that."

 _He's acting just like the other two. What the hell?_

Noctis frowned, and setting aside the blond's camera, he said shortly, "You gonna tell me, or not?"

Prompto's face was so red he looked like he was suffering from a bad sunburn, and hastily jumping to his feet, the blond said quickly, "S-sorry, bro, but I got a few more shots I wanna take before we head out for the chocobo ranch. Don't want Ignis getting on my case if I'm late."

 _Oh, hell no. No way. Not this time._

As Prompto slowly began to back away from him, the skilled marksman's flushed cheeks indicating that he was about to make a run for it, Noctis quickly leaped to his feet and tackled the other man to the rooftop, which prevented his friend from making a hasty retreat. There was no escaping now, and using both his hands and his knees to hold Prompto in place, he said in a heated voice, "Not a chance, Blondie. You're not ditching me that easily."

"C-come on, Noct. You're gonna make me miss some good photo ops," Prompto protested, wiggling beneath him in a rather weak attempt to escape. "I-I mean, I haven't even had breakfast ye-"

"First Ignis, then Gladio, and now you," Noctis growled, his sapphire eyes flashing in the early morning sunlight as he pinned the blond's shoulders to the roof. "What the hell's the big deal?"

"I-it's not a big deal!" Prompto practically squeaked, pushing pathetically at his chest in a half-hearted attempt to shove him off. "It's j-just...you know..."

Noctis didn't know, which was the whole reason why he damn well wanted to find out.

 _And you're not going anywhere until you give me an answer._

Refusing to back down, Noctis stubbornly sat on the blond's pelvis, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said boldly, "I'm not moving until you tell me."

Prompto babbled something unintelligible, and refusing to look at him, the blond made one last attempt to slide out from under him. Like the first two attempts, it was an unsuccessful maneuver, and summoning a sword, Noctis pinned the blond's chest to the roof with his trusty blade and said flatly, "Well?"

Prompto's golden head fell back against the rooftop in defeat, and refusing to look at him, the blond mumbled, "I-it's...you know, hard to describe."

"Try me."

Prompto glanced almost shyly at him before quickly looking away again, and knowing there was no escape, the blond took a deep breath and said, "It's this s-sort of...warm feeling. Like...like you're always close by or something. I can feel you in m-my head. It's n-not like super obvious or anything like that. You're just...there."

Noctis paused, and letting his sword dissipate into thin air, he gazed at the blond's flushed face for a moment before saying, "So, it is the same then."

"Huh?" Prompto gasped, his bright blue eyes widening in shock.

Noctis shrugged, and feeling the familiar warmth of his friend's presence filling the inside of his mind, he said slowly, "What about when you've summoned your weapons?"

"I...I dunno. It's almost like I can kind of...sense where you are, I guess?" Prompto choked out, blushing and looking as if he immediately regretted his words. "I-I mean, it's not a big deal or anything. It just kind of helps me keep track of you on the battlefield. It's the same for Ignis and Gladio, I think."

Noctis hesitated, and studying his friend closely, he said, "You guys have talked about this before."

Prompto immediately ducked his head, his cheeks turning an impressive shade of crimson, and mumbling something under his breath, the blond finally stammered, "A-a bit. M-maybe."

Noctis couldn't help feeling a little uncertain over the way his friend was acting, and as his earlier insecurities finally caught up with him, he quickly looked away and said quietly, "Does it...bother you?"

"What?" Prompto gasped, sitting up so fast their foreheads nearly collided. "No way, dude! Not even close."

"You sure?"

Prompto was hanging onto the front of his shirt for balance, and looking serious, the blush fading from his cheeks, the blond looked him right in the eyes and said quietly, "Actually, it's...you know...kinda nice."

Noctis nodded slowly, and shifting his weight off the blond's lap, he sat back and said, "Ignis and Gladio?"

Prompto's face softened, and sitting next to him, the blond immediately wrapped an arm around his waist and said gently, "You've got nothing to worry about, Noct. Trust me, they feel the same. Even if they're too stubborn to admit it."

 _Huh, so that explains it. They're all embarrassed over the whole thing. Good to know.  
_

"S-something wrong?" Prompto asked, noticing the subtle change in his expression.

Noctis couldn't help the devious smile that was beginning to turn up the corners of his mouth, and casually throwing his arm around the blond's shoulders, he said mildly, "Not really."

 _Seems like the bond does work both ways after all. And since the feeling's mutual, I can probably use it to my advantage. That'll teach them for running off on me.  
_

A bond between brothers. A connection he shared with these three men who would die for him if they had to. There was nothing one-sided about his feelings, which was exactly how he wanted it.

"Seriously, though. How come you're asking all of a sudden?" Prompto prodded, sounding a bit timid. "I mean, you've never said anything about it before."

"Why, is there a problem?"

"No, no!" Prompto quickly replied, frantically waving his hands in the air for emphasis. "No problem at all. It's all good. Great. Awesome. No complaints here."

Noctis smirked at his friend's obvious embarrassment, and giving the blond's shoulders an affectionate squeeze, he said, "It's no big deal. The thought just crossed my mind earlier."

"Oh."

Prompto looked like he wanted to say more, and handing over the camera he had placed aside earlier for safekeeping just before tackling his friend, Noctis said bluntly, "Something on your mind?"

Prompto nervously bit his lip, and turning away from him, the blond said, "Nah, it's cool. I'm good."

 _Right..._

Clearly, something was weighing on Prompto's mind, and knowing his friend as well as he did, Noctis had a pretty good idea of what that something was. It had been difficult for the blond to describe just exactly what he felt between the two of them, but that was just fine with Noctis. He understood perfectly, since he felt the same way. It wasn't really something that needed explaining, thus he was content with leave things as they were. He had gotten his answer, and that was good enough for him.

 _Of course I feel the same, you dork. As if there was ever any doubt._

In that moment, he felt a fondness for all three of his royal retainers that almost overwhelmed him, and tightening his arm around Prompto's shoulders, he leaned in and said softly in the blond's ear, "Just so you know, the feeling's mutual."

Prompto let out a soft sound of surprise, and staring at him with wide blue eyes, the blond said hopefully, "R-really?"

 _Hell yes. For all of you._

Instead of answering, Noctis raised an eyebrow, his expression leaving no doubt as to what he was thinking, and giving the blond's shoulder a firm squeeze, he said nonchalantly, "Thought you wanted to get in some more shots before Specs comes looking for us. Come on, I'll keep you company."

Prompto's whole face lit up, and having gotten the message, the blond beamed at him and said cheerfully, "You bet. Gotta make the most of this fabulous lighting."

Noctis quickly climbed to his feet, and holding out his hand, he felt a strong warmth in his chest as Prompto didn't hesitate to grab it. That was one of the things he loved about his golden-haired friend the most. Even when he didn't say a whole lot, Prompto understood him. They were good like that. Simple and easy. There was nothing complicated about the bond they shared.

Making it that much more meaningful.

"I gotta say, though, I wish I could have seen the other two when you asked them," Prompto admitted, chuckling to himself. "The looks on their faces. Definitely a missed photo opportunity there."

Noctis kept his arm around the blond as they descended the stairs together, and smirking slightly, he said, "Shouldn't have left me all alone with Ignis then."

"Dude, I can't believe he made you pay the bill," Prompto laughed, jabbing him playfully in the side. "Was that supposed to be his way of punishing you for asking?"

"Probably, not that it matters."

"Why not?" Prompto asked, once again wrapping an arm around his waist and giving him a friendly squeeze.

Noctis returned the fond gesture, and without looking at the blond, he said mildly, "Cause I knew I'd get it out of you eventually."

Prompto flushed, and trying to play it cool, the blond rolled his eyes and said, "Can't exactly say no to my future king, can I?"

"You could, but since you've never been able to resist my royal charm before, not gonna happen."

"Gimme a break," Prompto groaned, glancing away in embarrassment. "That's some ego, dude."

"Can you blame me? I _am_ pretty irresistible."

"You're damn right you are," Prompto said softly, almost to himself. "If you were anyone else, I dunno if I could have done what I did to work up the nerve to talk to you."

Noctis thought back to their school days when Prompto had worked so diligently to become the slim and slightly more confident young man that he was today, and giving the blond a gentle nudge, he said warmly, "Forget Ignis and Gladio. I've got all the answers I'll ever need right here."

Prompto came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, and briefly wrapping an arm around his neck in a tight hug, the blond murmured in his ear, "Same."

With that, the two of them left the shadow of the building, the Regalia all but forgotten for the moment, and lifting his sapphire eyes to the sky, Noctis allowed himself a small smile.

 _Definitely worth the wait._

Noctis had never been the type to back down from a challenge, and this time was no different. While they still had a lot of obstacles ahead of them, including finding the trusty car that served as their main source of transportation, for now he was content.

After all, it was nice to know his royal retainers felt the same way he did, even if they were hell bent on keeping it a secret from him.

 _Good to know they give a damn every bit as much as I do._

Except, of course, for the fact that there was no way they could hide things from their prince. Not when one of the members of his Crownsguard was a lovable blond nerd who couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Which was exactly what Noctis had counted on.

-End-


End file.
